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A. T. VIGNERON.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE Patentgd Aug. 7.11894..

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A. T. VIGNERON. TYPE WRITING MAGHINE.

Patented Aug. 7/18-94.

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To all whom t may concern,.-

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a citizen of the UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADOLPHUS T. VIGNERON, OF PROVIDENCE, HO'DE ISLAND.

TYPE-WRITI N G MACH IN E. A

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 524,290, dated August'7, 1894.

' Application nea rm 12.1893. serial No. 477.373. er@ moan.)

Be it known that I, ADoLrHUs T. VIGNERON, United States, residing atProvidence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-Writlng Machines;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable ot-hers skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanyingdrawings, and to letters of reference markedthereo'mwhich form a part of this specification. y Y

-My presentinvention relates to certain improvements in type writingmachines in which the Writing orprinting is made upon the paper by meansof axially movable type-carrying bars actingupon a movable ink-ribboninterposed between the type-face and the intermittingly movableimpression cylinder or platen carrying the paper. The Remington andCaligraph are well known examples of the class of type-writing machinesreferred to; and it is to machines of such or a similar type that myimprovement is Well adapted to be used.

In type-writing machines as hitherto'made it has been usual to soconstruct and arrange the type-arms or bars and the coacting mechanismthat the impression or writing is made atihe under side of the cylinder.While possibly such former arrangement may in some respects be to the'advantage of the manufacturer in the matterof assembling the parts,&c., yet to the operator or user it is a decided disadvantage since thearrangement necessarily renders the last written line or the line beingwritten invisible unless the cylinder be rst swung upwardly, or rotatedahead sufficiently to bring the line into View.

The object I seek to attain is to provide machines of the class abovereferred to with means whereby not only the last Written lines areexposed at all times but each individual letter or character as it isproduced upon the paper is exposedwimmediately succeeding itsimpression.

To thatend my invention consists, essentially, of a resilient type-barproper or holder jointed to the lever or operating arm, combined with astop orcontact plate and an in- Y termittingly-movable ink-ribbon; italso consists of certain/other novel mechanisms combined with adjunctivedevices, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth and claimed.

By means of my improvement the upper and lower case letters andcharacters may be employed with equal facility; the spacing andalignment are more uniform; the writing as produced is exposed and infull view ot' the operator Without raising the cylinder, and the novelmannerof mounting and operating the ink-ribbon `adds materially to theefficiency of the machine.

In the accompanying two sheets of draw-i ings, Figure 1, Sheet l,is avertical sectional view of a type-writing machine embodying myimprovements; some of the usual devices or mechanisms to which mypresent invention has no special reference being omitted. The type-baris represented in the act of impressing say a capital or upper caseletter upon the paper wrapped around the cylinder. Fig. 2 is asubstantially similar View, but showing the type-bar in the act ofprintinga lower case letter. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a portion of thecylinder and the inking device. Fig. 4, Sheet 2, is an enlarged verticalsectional View, showing the relation of the type-bar, tire., at theinstant of its engagement with the stop. Fig. `5 represents the samewhile the impression is being made. Fig. 6 is a view similar to thatlast described, showing a modification of the manner of mounting thecylinder, so as to change its relation to the type-bars. Fig. 7 is anenlarged horizontal sectional View, taken on line mm of Fig. 5, showingthe manner of guiding and centering the type-bars so as toinsure amoreuniform alignment. y Figs. 8 to 12, inclusive, represent side and planviews of the type-bars as adapted to properly engage thev cylinder. Fig.13 is a front view of the ribbon-l1older,

tbc., and Fig. 14. is an enlarged fron-t end elevation of thetype-holder stops, the relation of the parts being substantially asshown in Fig. l.

In carrying ont myinvention I have represented a type-writing machineembodying some of the characteristic features of the wellknown Remingtonvand. other machines; that is to say the operating levers or arms 0.',the keys and key-levers lo and connectionsl o mal position.

5 entinvention I have omitted said mechanisms from the drawings.

The frame f, is provided with a suitablebase portion and uprights and issurmounted by a fixed bed or table f' to which latter the ro severalarms a are jointed or pivoted on pins p' as common. The usual impressioncylinder c 1s mounted to revolve in the carriage 'm winch 1s supportedon ways or guide-rods fn,

'n'. The paper 1o, shown by dotted lines, is

keptin contact with the cylinder by means of combined guide and feedrolls c', c2.

To the rear side of the table is secured a horizontal plate b, the sameextending toward the front of the machine and is provided on zo theunder -side at or near its free end with a recess s having beveled orslightly rounded sides 82, and forming a fixed stop for arresting theupward movement ot' the said arms a. This stop, when coactin g with thevtype-holders a, soon to be described, causes the holders to swing intoposition toproduce an im-` pression,theiinclined sides of the stop andthe vertical guides g at the same time-serving to centralize the holdersand insure com- 3o `paratively perfect alignment of the work.

The lplate b is further provided, on its underx side, with ways in whicha secondary or stopplate b is mounted to move endwise. A pin CZ securedto the pieceb, passes upwardly through a slotted opening d formed inplate b, as clearly shown in Figs. 4, 5, dac.; the ends of the slotserving to limit the movement of stop-plate b. The latter it will beseen has a downwardly extending lug s formed on its 4o front end,'thesame being cut away'to receive the toes of the t-ypeholders, see alsoFig. 14. As drawn, when the toes engage the upper or fixed stop s', thelower case characters or l types are brought into action, and when the?`lower or movable stop s is advanced into pog sition, as in Fig. 1, theupper case letters are brought into use. vIn said Fig'l, it will belseen that springs k2 cause the several levers f a. as Well as the stop sto return to the nori In the case of the stop s a coni nection Z'jointed both to thepivoted short lever Z2 and the arm of the key7a4-transmits the movement of the latter through the lever Z3 to theplate b', so that when the key 7a4 is depressed the said levers, dac.,will retract the stop to its limit, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

' Obviously, the parts may be arranged so that upon depressing the key7a4 the `stop will be advanced into position for use, a spring au- 6otomatically returning the stop to the position shown in said Figs. 2, 4and 5.

The case keys k may be arranged i'n two or more rows as common, and thespace-key la may be a long bar located in front ot the other keys andconnect with the` usual feeding mechanism.

The series of pivotally mounted swinging levers or arms a may bearranged in `an oval or circular form in such a manner that the outer orfree ends thereof will, when elevated to a horizontal position, lie in apractically common center or point. The end of each bar is bent upwardlyand is providedv with a short lug a4, spring w, and joint-pin as; to

the latter of which is fulcrumed the typeholder ct carrying at its upperportion two types or characters o, o; these may be similar ordissimilar. In the drawings the capitals or' upper case characters areindicated by o and the lower case by o. Each holder is provided at itslower end with a toe a2 extending at substantially right anglestherefrom; the upper face of the toe being adapted to engage the stopss, s', 4before described. The spring w bears against the toe so as tokeep the holder in normal contact with the lug a4. In Figs. S to l2 thenormal position of the holders is indicated by dotted lines; the fulllines representing the position of the holders at the instant ofprinting.- Fig. 8 represents side and planv views Vof the front centraltype-holder and the contiguous portion ofthe working-arm a; Fig. 12shows the corresponding rear central type-holder; Fig. 10 the centralleft lateral holder, and Figs. 9 and 11 the front and rear left diagonalholders. It will be seen that all the holders are so arranged andjointed to the arms a that the angular movements of the former aresubstantially alike while in contact with the stops s or s.

The following describes the manner of mounting and operating the inkribbon: This ribbon r I prefer to make narrow, say from three-eighthsinch to one-half rinch wide, the same being arranged to wind from onetension spool or arbor r4 to the other. The spools are mounted torevolve in a tilting shallow frame or casing e located at the center andon top of the front portion of the table b. vAs drawn, each spool isprovided at the bottom with a ratchet-wheel 'u into which theclick-pawls h engage; the pawls being jointed to a bracket or stand hfixed to the table; the stand is provided-with two rear wardly extending'arms e4 in which the ribbon-frame is jointed and adapted to vibrate;said movement being effected through the medium of a short bottom arm e3of the frame to which is jointed a link e' connectedat the bottom ofthemachine with a .transverse bar c2 in engagement with the under side ofthe series of key-levers 7.o. The bottom a of the ribbon-frame extendsrearwardly to or nearly to the cylinder c; said extension is quitenarrow and cut away at u at its outer end (see Fig. 3) to permit thepassage of the typeholders. It is also. provided with short verticalguides r', r2, for leading the ribbon to the cylinder, as clearly shownin said Fig. 3.

`From the foregoing it is apparent that the act of depressing any of thekeys' tilts the ribbon upwardly into position contiguous to thecylinder, as shown by full lines in Figs. 1,

`2, 4, and 6; it being automatically returned.

to its 4normal position, shown by dotted lines, by means of aspring Ae8upon removing pressnre from the key. When in the last-named position itisclear that the entire printing is j` exposed.

The two vertical guides g fixed to the plate "b contiguous to the stopor contact recess s fio are arranged to freely receive the holders d`and at the same time prevent them from moving laterally, thusincreasing., the efficiency of the machine; Fig. 7 shows a plan view ofsaid parts in enlarged scale. The guides are so constructed that theink-ribbon is exterior to and moves up and down past them `withouttouching.

I would add that the ribpbon-spools are rotated intermittingly by meansof the pawls h combined with thev toothed wheels v. By referring to Fig.13 it will be seen that the left pawl is working to V `wind the ribbonupon the corresponding spool, the other pawl meanwhile being idle. Thetilting of the ribbon-frame, tbc., causes the pawl to slip from tooth totooth, the rotation being eected during the upward movenient of thewheel. After the spool has been ,filled the corresponding pawl is liftedand y the other one dropped into gear, thereby re- .lso

versing the operation before described and resulting in iinwinding theribbon from the filled spool onto the empty one.

The operation of a type-writing machine provided with my improvementsmay be described substantially as follows, assuming first, however, thatthe machine is also pro' vided with the usual co-operating or adjunctivedevices for receiving and feeding the palso . in Fig. l.

.. per, propelling and releasing the carriage, im-

pression roll, keys, dto. The paper p is next introduced and wrappedpartly around the cylinder, the lower stop s being already advanced intoposition. Now,iipon striking a key c the corresponding arm a. isinstantly elevated to anearly horizontal position which causes the toeof the holder a to engage the stop, thus arresting the arms movement andat the same time rapidly swing the upper printing characterv rearwardlyinto engagement with the ribbon,thereby printing or making an impressionupon the paper, as shown Upon releasing the finger from the keya springk2 returns the key and typeholder to the normal position, or asindicated by dotted lines in Fig. l. I would further state that the actof depressing the key operates also to elevate or tilt the ink-ribbonand its frame to the full-line position, Fig. l, preparatory to beingstruck by the printing type; saidframe, &c., dropping to the dotted lineposition through the medium of the spiral spring ef `The vibratorymovement of the ribbon-frame advances the ribbon intermittingly, by themeans before described. Thus it is obvious that the several lines ofprinting are continuously exposed and the character last printed isuncovered and exposed as soon as formed; it being keptin mind that theribbon extends longitudinally of the cylinder but a short distance, sayone-half an inch or less. l

In order to print from the lower case types o the lower stop s' isforced rearwardly (Fig. 2) by means of the key h4 or other suitablemechanism after which the printing is accomplished as just described,the typeliolder toes then engaging with the Upper or fixed stop s', asshown in Figs. 2,4 and 5. It

willv be-apparent that the upwardly extending stationai'y side guides g,having a wellrounded mouth, serve to keep the holders d in positionlaterally while the impression is being made, thus producing better workby reason of the superior alignment, as before stated. Y

In lieu of employing two stops s, s', one of which is movable, I may usea single fixed stop s' and move the cylinder c vertically.l Such anarrangement I have represented ,in Fig. 6, wherein the sliding carriagem is also provided with swinging arms m2 in which the cylinder andfeedrolls are journaled;` As

drawn a spring Z4 maintains the cylinder in the elevated position toreceive the impression from the upper-case types. In order to printfrom` the lower-case characters o the fected through the medium of thebar c5, resting upon the top of the arms m2, and link Z attached theretoand connected say with a` -cylinder is first depressed to the dottedline position, Fig. 6; said movement being'ef- IOO key-leveras 104,adapted tobe manipulated by the finger of the operator. It may be addedthat'the extreme vertical movement of the cylinder is just equal to thedistance from center to center between the` types 0,0', of the holder;said distance being also equal to the space between the two stops s, s',vertically. f

Y I claim as my invention and desire to secure by United States LettersPatent- 1. In a type-writing machine the combination with an impressionsurface of a type-lever-,a type-carrying arm pivoted to the end ofsaid'lever, means for moving the type-lever, and means for arresting themovement thereof and thereby imparting to the type'- carrying arm aprinting stroke, causing itto t strike the impression surface at a pointin view of the operator, substantially as .described.

2. In a type-writing machine, the combina-- tion with aimpressionsurface, of a type-lever,

a type-carrying arm pivoted at the end of said lever, a stop in the pathof movement of said lever adapted to ari'est the same and to inlpart tosaid type carrying arma printing stroke in va direction approximatelyperpendicular to the impression surface, so thatthe type strikes thelatter at a point in view of the operator, substantially as described.

3. In a type-writing machine the combination with an impression surface,of a type1e.

ver, -a type-carrying varm pivoted at the end of said lever, a 'stop inthe path of `movementof said lever adapted to arrest the same Aand`thereby impart to said type-carrying arm a printing stroke, and a springfor returning said type-arm to its .normal position after each stroke,substantially as described.

4. In a type-writing machine a series of type-levers and actuatingmechanism theref for, type-carrying arms pivoted to the endsof saidlevers, yeach arm carrying a plurality of characters, means forarresting the movement of the type-levers and swinging the type armstothe printing point, and means for changing the relative positions ofthe cylinders and type-arms to `brin g dierent characters to the commonprinting point, substantially as described.

5. The combnation'with the impression cylin-der, a series of type-leversand actuatingl printing position, substantially as described. y

6. In a type-writing machine, the combination with the impressioncylinder, key-levers, &;c., an ink-ribbon and mechanisms actuated by thekey-levers for feeding and intermittingly moving it up and down in frontof the cylinder, of a series of levers connected with and actuated bysaid keys, a yielding arm provided wi-th two printing characters ortypes jointed to the external end of said levers, a'l fixed stop, forengaging the several type-arms i to swing them into position forprinting from one of said types, a movable stop, arranged to arrest thelevers so as to print from the other i series of types, and means formoving the f -stopintoand out of posi-tion,substantially as set '.forth.

7. In a type-writing machine the combination with the -impressioncylinder of an inking ribbon and operating mechanism therefor, theinking ribbon being carried forward to the printing point at the fron-tof the cylind'ervin a narrow loop, said loop in its normal positionexposing the common impression or printing point, mechanism operated bythe key-levers for oscillating said loop to shift it t0 the printingpoint, aseries of type-levers and actuating mechanism therefor,type-carrying arms pivoted to the ends of said levers, means forarresting the type-le-vers-and swinging the type-carrying arms upwardlywith the loop to the printing point, substantially as def scri-bed.

8. In a type-writing machine the combina- -tion with a pi'voted type-armhaving a toe or projection thereon, of a stop formed with a bevel-sidedrecess therein, in which said toe or projection engages to swing thefree endof said type arm to a printing point, substantially asdescribed. y

9. In a type-writing machine provided with an impression cylinder,ink-ribbon and suitable cooperating devices, the combination therewithof a series of swinging operating levers a arranged in a circular oroval form, key-levers connected therewith for actuating the same, aseries of yielding type-holders av jointed to the outer or free ends ot'the levers d', and a common stop, or stops, arranged to engage theseveral holders a, constructed and adapted for operation substantially`as described and for the purpose-set forth.

In testimony whereof I have aflXed my signature in presence of twoWitnesses.

ADOLPHUS T. VIGNERON. Witnesses:

GEo. H. REMINGTON, IDA M. WARREN.

